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The Mormons-Who they were

  • A religious group started by Joseph Smith in 1830-aka The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints 
  • Hes had seen a vison of the angle Moroni who told him to go and fine some golden plates.He found and translated the plates to form the Book of Mormon.It said how Israel tribes migrated to America and that Jesus went to America after he rose from the dead.Eleven people were allowed to see the platesto prove that Smith wasn't lying
  • They were hated in the east because of their beliefs:
  • You are allowed polygamy- it was the will of god- Joseph Smith had ten wives
  • The number of Mormons grew very quickly
  • They had their own army
  • Smith ran for president- people were worried that if they became to they would enforce their beliefs on the people of America
  • They belived that they were God's chosen people 
  • They were very hard-working and became very successful- this made many jealous
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The Mormons- What happened in the east?

  • They were attacked in the first "holy city" Kirtland after the collapse of their bank in 1837
  • They moved to Missouri but stayed only one year as they were attacked and their leaders were put in prison 
  • Brigham Young took the Mormons to Nauvoo but again they were persecuted. In 1844 Smith and his brother were arrested. Non-Mormons attacked the prison and killed the brothers
  • Young realised he had to take the Mormons away from the East and started leading them towards the Great Salt Lake in the West 
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The Mormons- Why Salt Lake City?

  • The area was uninhabited,and so no one would attack them any more 
  • The land was almost entirely useless and so was not wanted by anyone else- this made it safe for the Mormons
  • The Salt Lake Valley was still owned by Mexico, so the US goverment should now leave them alone
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The Mormons- The settlement

  • Every family was to build their own wagons 
  • Search parties were sent ahead to gather resources such as wood together before the bulk of the people arrived
  • Land was shared out equally
  • An irrigation system was built to supply the people with fresh water
  • Travellers who croosed the vally were charged taxes
  • Taxes would be paid to the church 
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The Mormons- The problems

  • In 1848 the Salt Lake Valley was handed over to America by Mexico
  • The US goverment wanted to make the Mormons submit to their laws
  • The Mormons and the goverment clashed violently in 1857- fearing a full scale war, the US goverment allowed the mormons to practice their own religion and live their own why but their territory (Utah) was not allowed to become a state whilst they still practiced polygamy
  • In 1890 the Mormons finally abandoned polygamy. Utah was admitted as a state by 1896
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